The Law of Micro Commitments ~ and why they are super important!

Question? Will you make a commitment to press one of the share buttons below if you learn anything or find anything interesting in this article?

Yes?

Perfect!

The power of micro-commitments

I hate running… but I have to do it. And, while I tried everything I could to commit to running, I struggled with finding the right motivation to get outside and run 2 miles a couple days each week.

The thing that I found out was that it wasn’t my lack of understanding or motivation, it was that my commitment was too big!

I was way too focussed on the overall impact and my disdain for running so I would get in my own way before I ever started.

I decided that instead of making the huge commitment of running the distance, I would make the tiny commitment of putting my running shoes on and sitting on the curb.

If I could get myself to the curb with my running shoes then I was far more likely to just continue the task and get my miles in. I didn’t care whether I actually ran; I just needed to get started.

I made a commitment to something that wasn’t gravely impactful and didn’t cost me much.

I knew that when I tried to commit to running the couple miles, I had to embrace the suck and run a couple miles. Honestly, that was all the deterrent I needed to never get started. I didn’t want to embrace the suck. I wanted it to not suck.

It still sucks by the way.

My new commitment of taking my shoes to the curb has zero suck attached to it. It doesn’t cost me any pain or anguish. And… I’m not trying to convince myself that it needs to be anything more than what it is.

Where you can remove the excuses you can move toward success.

“Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses.” – George Washington Carver

Imagine how tough it would be to save $1000 when it isn’t anywhere in your budget. But, if you can make a micro-commitment to saving $1 a day you will both reap the accumulation of the daily dollar and build a habit of saving money.

Once you build the habit you are well on your way to your defined success!

This even works with other people.

I can’t get my kids to clean their rooms without the entire song and dance. What I can do is get them to pick up one or two things. On occasion, I will walk by their room and just say, “Hey can you pick up just 5 things off the floor? You don’t have to clean your room, I just think you’ll feel more comfortable if you pick up and five things and put them away.” Oh boy, I took away the agony of having to get the entire thing done and I gave them a promise that they would feel better. Sometimes, not always, they just keep working until the entire thing is done. And when that happens, they are so proud of what they did, and they feel so good about it that they can’t wait to share it with me.

The old elephant in the room trick…

Most of us have heard that analogical question: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

If we can commit to the one bite instead of consuming the entire task, we can get started and build momentum.

What is the big thing that you are trying to overcome or commit to?

And… what is a good micro-commitment you can make to get started?

Let’s be better; together,

Rashad

p.s. Don’t forget about the micro-commitment you made me… just press the share button.

I am Rashad. I'm an entrepreneur with over 15 years of cultivating relationships, chasing ideas, and over delivering on promises. I want to share some of the things I've learned along the way with you. Hopefully, it will inspire you to define and achieve your personal definition of success.